WRITER

Take Back Friction, America!

I believe in the future of friction. People say it’s past its prime, that the future will be friction-free. Sorry, but I doubt that very seriously. I was recently informed by an extremely smart person I encountered in a bus depot that friction isn’t going anywhere, at least not anytime soon. In particular, reports of the demise of rolling friction are way overblown. True, with the advent of personal aircraft, wheels may one day comprise a smaller share of the market than they currently do, but my associates confirmed what this guy was telling me: the vehicle of the future ultimately will be able to move on air, sea, and even land, resulting in continued rolling friction across a wide swathe of the country.

Let’s take advantage now America! Let’s take rolling friction back from the Chinese and do something with it before the Brazilians discover it!

What about sliding friction? That has a very bright future! Sliding friction is expected to increase dramatically in the coming years, especially in northern climes, as the earth heats up and more people find themselves skiing on grass.